Chinese media reported that local authorities arrested a former chemistry teacher suspected of assisting a criminal gang in the manufacturing of illegal drugs. The case is already drawing plenty of media attention because of similarities to an American television series titled "Breaking Bad."

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The suspect has been identified by Shaanxi Television as one Lu Yong, a former chemistry professor. The TV station interviewed an unnamed local detective who said that Lu was arrested in his apartment located in Xian.

Police claimed that the Lu joined with a group of illegal drug manufacturers and he was said to be responsible for making the "recipes for producing methcathinone," which shares many of the same characteristics as methamphetamine, another illegal synthetic drug.

The unnamed detective claims that the suspect was also engaged in the sale of said drugs. In 2013, it was believed that Lu became partners with Chen, a gang leader. Lu helped Chen set up an illegal drug laboratory in county of Suiyan. The laboratory was capable of producing almost 2,000 pounds of the illegal drug which was sold in Shanghai and other cities in China.

Lu's arrest elicited a lot of interest and comments from the Chinese online community. Lu is already being compared to the fictional "Breaking Bad" character, Walter White, who is also a professor engaged in the production and sale of crystal meth.

One Xian online forum user commented that Lu may have been inspired by the television series. 

China is currently conducting a countrywide campaign against illegal drugs. Last year, more than 60,000 suspects had been arrested. The government has reported that the number of illegal drug users in the country has reached 14 million, which is around 1 percent of China's population. The figure also includes synthetic drug addicts where it is estimated that their numbers are increasing at a yearly rate of 36 percent. 

Tagsbreaking bad, Walter White, methamphetamine, methcathinone, synthetic drugs, illegal drugs, Suiyan, Xi'an, anti-drug, crime